Basic Schools

[Canary]

Clan Schools may be taken starting with Insight Rank 2 by Human characters. The character must be part of the Clan or at least following the Kami associated with a given school to take said school. Those available from the books are listed below:

Imperial/Shiba
Jiyo Bushi School (Shiba Bushi)

Bat/Ryoshun
Ryoshun Smith School (Tsi Smith, Core, page 222)

Crab/Hida
Hida Bushi School
Yoshitsune Bushi School (Daidoji Bushi)

Crane/Doji
Doji Courtier School
Nanzi Bushi School (Kakita Bushi)

Dragon/Togashi
Togashi Tattooed Monk

Ki-Rin/Shinjo
Shinjo Bushi School (Emerald Empire, page 31)

Lion/Akodo
Akodo Bushi School

Scorpion/Bayushi
Bayushi Bushi School
Bayushi Courtier School

Stag/Hantei
Seppun Shugenja

[Canary]

New Schools: Imperial

Yuzuru Shugenja School
Trait: +1 Intelligence
Honour 5.5
Skills: Spellcraft, Calligraphy (Cipher). Lore: Theology, Etiquette, Sincerity, Divination, any one High Skill.
Affinity/Deficiency: Air/Fire

Technique - One Light in the Darkness

Yuzuru was a Seer, blinded by his otherworldly sight, yet he still became one of the founders of the Courtly Way. Those that followed him did not necessarily share the blindness but they learnt his ways of using Sight in social settings. A Yuzuru Shugenja may enact a Divination ritual each day. This takes thirty minutes to complete and requires the expenditure of 1 Void Point. For the rest of the day the Yuzuru Shugenja may add a bonus equal to their ranks in the Divination Skill to any Social Roll for a number of rolls equal to their School Rank. Yuzuru Shugenja receive a Free Raise on any spell with the Divination keyword.
Spells: 3 Air, 2 Water, 1 Earth, Sense, Commune, Summon



Chiyo Shugenja School
Trait: +1 Willpower
Honor: 4.5
Skills: Defense, Hunting, Lore: Spirit Realms, Lore: Theology, Meditation, Spellcraft (Importune), Any one Craft Skill.
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, Yumi or Knife, Scroll Satchel, Traveling Pack, 5 koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Earth / Fire

Technique - Speaking With The Land

You may Commune with the kami of the dominant element in your current location to make yourself a welcome visitor in the area. This ordinarily requires a ritual lasting at least 10 minutes, often involving a small offering of food or flowers. The difficulty of the spellcasting roll is as normal for the Commune spell. (During this ritual, you should not expect the kami to answer your questions as if this were a normal casting of the Commune spell—though they might be curious about you, or volunteer information about their own concerns.) If the ritual is successful, you gain the Way of the Land advantage for the province you currently occupy; in addition, any time you use the Commune spell to speak with the local kami in this province, you gain a Free Raise which may be used to entreat the kami to answer more clearly or grant you an additional question. These effects last for a number of days equal to your Insight Rank.
You also gain a Free Raise on any spell cast using one of your Void spell slots.
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Earth, 2 Air, 1 Water

[Canary]

New Schools: Bat

Ryoshun Mystic School [Shugenja] (Modified Void Mystic)

Trait: +1 Willpower
Honor: 3.5
Skills: Defense, Divination, Hunting, Lore: Elements (Void), Meditation, Stealth, any one non High Skill
Outfit: Robes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Travelling Pack, 3 Koku
Requirements: All students of the Ryoshun Mystic School must possess the Ishiken-Do Advantage.
Affinity/Deficiency: None. You cannot cast spells of the four non-Void Elements except for the basic spells of Sense, Commune, and Summon, and you cannot Importune for spells.

Technique - The Void's Caress

Those born with a close attunement to the Void are sought out by the Mystics of the Bat Clan, to help them refine their abilities. You do not require spell-scrolls. You may cast any Void spell up to your current Mastery Level, expending a Spell Slot as normal. Mechanically, the spell is cast as normal, but you do not need to speak aloud to cast your spells. You may only cast each Spell once per day, and you may never cast Void spells above Rank 5. You also gain a Free Raise to the Divination Skill (a by-product of your attunement to the Void).
Spells: As noted above, you may cast any Void Spell within your Mastery Level. Additionally, the Mystic may be granted one additional Spell Slot for each School Rank he attains.

[Canary]

New Schools: Crab

Anjing Bushi School

Trait: +1 Agility
Honor: 3.5
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Heavy Weapons, Stealth, any one skill
Outfit: Light or Heavy Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Any two weapons, Heavy Weapon, Traveling Pack, 3 koku

Rank One: If Crouching, Low. If Standing, Tall.
You gain +2k0 to stealth rolls. You gain additional Wounds per Wound Rank equal to your agility. You may also add your agility to the total of all damage rolls resulting from melee attacks. (This technique replaces Forest Killer Path's Strength of the Forest)

Rank 2: Strike a Mountain, Fight an Avalanche
You gain Reduction equal to your Fire Ring the first time you enter Full Attack Stance during a skirmish. While in the Full Attack Stance, your Reduction is increased by 1. Your Reduction returns to normal at the end of the skirmish where it increased.

Rank 3: Pound, Always
You may make attacks as a Simple Action instead of a Complex Action while using Heavy Weapons or Weapons with the Samurai keyword.

Rank 4: The Mountain Moves
While in the Full Attack Stance, you gain a Free Raise for all Attack Rolls made with a Heavy Weapon. Additionally, while in the Full Attack Stance, the TN penalties you suffer from Wound Ranks are reduced by your Insight Rank.

Rank 5: Strike So You Will Not Be Struck
The bonus to Armor TN from any armor you wear is increased by your Stamina. Once per round, you may make an attack as a Complex Action at the cost of a Void Point. If successful, you may add +5k0 to the Damage Roll.

[Canary]

New Schools: Dragon

Way of the Dragon Spear

Benefit: +1 Agility
Honor: 4.5
Skills: Battle, Defense, Meditation, Investigate, Kenjutsu, Spears (Ryuyari), any 1 Skill
Outfit: Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Ryuyari, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 koku

Rank 1: The Mountain's Roots
Bushi who follow the Way of the Dragon Spear are encouraged to always remember what they fight for and who they ultimately serve, making then implacable. When you spend a Void Point to add a bonus of +1k1 to any Skill or Trait Roll, you gain a free raise. You can ignore a number of wound penalties equal to your earth ring

Rank 2: Breaking the Tide
The the second lesson an initiate of the spear needs to know is to use the flow of his body's momentum and movement to benefit from the spear's superior reach to both deny the enemy's advance and to bring it down at the tip of his weapon to puncture the enemy's defenses. When you successfully strike an opponent with a spear you are wielding, you may reduce their Water Ring for the purposes of movement by half your School Rank (rounded up), to a minimum of 1. This lasts for a number of rounds equal to your School Rank. During the Reactions Stage an affected opponent may attempt an Earth Ring roll against a TN 20 to end the effects of this Technique. On a failure they may try again each Reactions Stage until they succeed or the effect wears off.

Rank 3: Dragon's Kiss
The third lesson the bushi of the dragon spear learn is to channel their spirit into their attacks to burn those who would stand against justice. Attacking with a spear or a samurai weapon is a simple action for you.

Rank 4: Reeds Dancing in the Wind
At this level of mastery, the bushi understands how to have his spear dance playfully amongst the enemy distracting them, causing confusion and annoyance. As a Simple Action while wielding a spear, you may make a melee attack against an opponent, rolling Spears/Air. This attack deals no damage, but on a successful hit the opponent is Dazed for one round.

Rank 5:
The last techique comes with an understanding about the interwoven nature of the universe. All is linked in a grand tapestry, one way or the other, and the master of the spear can use it as a needle to sow new fates or unmake them. In battle or in a duel you can select an enemy. Each time he or she spends a void point you may spend a Void Point and roll a mediation check against their Insight Rankx5. On a success the expenditure is cancelled. With one raise the point is still considered spent and with two it is both spent and you can gain one void up to your maximum.

[Canary]

New Schools: Ki-Rin

Chai Magistrate School
Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Athletics, Horsemanship, Hunting, Investigation, Jiujutsu, any one Bugei Skill, any one non-Bugei Skill.
Honor: 3.5
Outfit: Ashigaru Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, any one weapon, Traveling Pack, 5 koku.

Techniques
Rank 1: Never Give Up
The first thing a Chai student learns is that many fail simply because they did not try hard enough. You may spend a Void Point to reroll any one Investigation roll, damage roll, or any non-Iaijutsu bugei skill roll, keeping either result. If used during combat, this counts as your one Void use per round.

Rank 2: Never Surrender
The stubbornness of a Chai extends most readily into protecting those dear to them. When rolling to resist Fear or Intimidation, you add a bonus to the roll equal to your Willpower. Also, when you take the Guard action, your target adds additional Armor TN equal to your Perception.

Rank 3: Believe in Yourself
To a student of the Chai techniques, the ends almost always justify the means when results are on the line. You only lose half the normal amount of Honor (round down) for using low skills or for Minor Breaches of Etiquette. Your Wound Penalties are also reduced by an amount equal to your School Rank.

Rank 4: Do Your Best
A Chai samurai acts without hesitation, diving into situations with honed instincts as to what to do. You may now make melee attacks as Simple Actions, including Unarmed.

Rank 5: It'll All Work Out in the End
By this point, a Chai's sense of what is happening around them is almost surreal. You may now use your Rank 1 technique on any non-Iaijutsu roll, and it no longer counts as your one Void per round while in combat. You also get +3k0 to all Hunting, Investigation, and Grapple checks.




Jin Shugenja [Shugenja]

Inspired by their founder, and the Kami he found worthy to follow, the Jin shugenja train to aid their fellows, and any others they may encounter who do not stand against them, through healing and easing their travels be they short distances or epic journeys. As such they have found the greatest kinship with the spirits of water and earth though eschew the destructive power of fire.

Although their founder did not prevent his followers from learning and wielding destructive magics when needed, especially against supernatural threats, his lessons always emphasized that such measures were an absolute last resort and the majority of Jin shugenja attempt to hold to his pacifistic ways when possible.

Benefit: +1 Perception
Skills: Calligraphy (Cipher), Horsemanship, Lore: Theology, Medicine, Meditation, Spellcraft, any one High or Bugei Skill
Honor: 5.5
Outfit: Extravagant clothing, wakizashi, Scroll Satchel, any 1 weapon, Calligraphy Set, Traveling Pack, Horse (Unicorn Riding Horse), 10 koku
Affinity / Deficiency: Water / Fire
Spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Water, 2 Earth, and 1 Air
Technique: Spirit of the Wind - The Jin harness the power of the elements to grant the waves' speed to others. As a Complex Action, you may sacrifice one spell slot of any element to grant one target individual an additional Simple Move Action. This Simple Action is in addition to the target's normal Actions per Round. The Additional Action must be used on the target's next Turn or it is lost. You also gain a Free Raise on any spell with the Travel keyword.

[Canary]

New Schools: Spider

Reiko's Guidance (Shugenja school): (Version 1.2)
Trait: +1 Willpower
Starting honour: 5.5
Skills: Calligraphy, Spellcraft, Meditation, Divination (Any one Emphasis), Lore: Spirit Realms, Any 1 Lore skill, Any 1 Social or Bugei skill
Outfit: Sturdy Robes, Wakizashi, any 1 weapon, Traveling Pack, Scroll Satchel, 3 koku
Affinity/Deficiency: Fire/Water

Technique: Guidance of the Spider
While Reiko was born of the Isawa, she learnt that their way was not the right way. Where the Isawa were isolationists, Reiko believed that only through helping and guidance could humans truly reach their potential. When providing others with a static bonus in a Cooperative roll, your skill is considered to be double its current rank. If you have no ranks in the skill, you instead give a static bonus equal to your ranks in this school. You also gain a free raise on fire spells used to assist an ally, unless that spell would deal damage to the ally.
Starting spells: Sense, Commune, Summon, 3 Fire, 2 Earth, 1 Air

[Canary]

New Schools: Stag

Hantei Bushi School

Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Investigation, Battle, Defense, Kenjutsu, Kyujustu, Sincerity, any High or Bugei skill
Honor: 6.5
Outfit: Light Armor, Awesome Clothing, Daisho, any 1 weapon, Travelling Pack, 5 koku.

Rank 1: Way of the Favored Star
+1k0 on Attack rolls made with weapons with the Samurai keyword. When you spend Void to enhance a High Skill or Battle roll, you may add your Honor to the total of the roll.

Rank 2: Art of Dragon’s Breathing
You may add your Void ring to your ATN. Additionally, when you are targeted by a spell, you may raise or lower the TN of that spell’s spellcasting roll by 5.

Rank 3: Swift Judgement Strike
Attacking is a simple action for you while you use weapons with the Samurai keyword.

Rank 4: Heaven Shaking Thunder
Gain +3k0 to damage rolls with samurai weapons against opponents with lower honor. This does not normally apply to those with no concept of honor, such as spirits, but it does apply against any creature with at least one full rank of taint.

Rank 5: You Are Already Dead
Once per skirmish, after hitting your opponent, you may spend four Void Points to automatically inflict that opponent to Down/Out/Dead (whichever applies first).
It is GM’s discretion whether this Technique can defeat exceptionally powerful or transcendent entities such as Fortunes or similar. As an option, the GM may allow the Technique to work on such foes if you voluntarily choose to die in order to activate it.



Seppun Hunters School [Ninja]

The Seppun Family is the Tribe of Seppun, sworn to the Stag Clan as part of the Shiba Empire. Though they were more noted for their priesthood, they also numbered warriors among them, including scouts who labored to keep threats far away from the holy hill where the Kami descended to earth. The Seppun Hunters School is the formalization and distillation of their methods, applied either to the hunting of game or to those who would encroach upon the Stag Clan’s holdings.

Benefit: +1 Agility
Skills: Athletics, Defense, Hunting, Kenjutsu, Kyujutsu, Stealth, Artisan: Woodcarving
Honor: 4.5
Outfit: Ashigaru or Light Armor, Sturdy Clothing, Daisho, Yumi, Quiver and 20 arrows (any type/s), Traveling Pack, Woodcarving Kit, Koku average to Stag Clan

Techniques
Rank 1: Dawei’s Method
In the time before Shiba rose to the Throne, the founder of the school, Seppun Dawei, served his people as a scout who worked to preemptively eliminate threats to his home; the work was appreciated by the leaders of the Family. You lose neither Glory nor Honor for using the Stealth Skill in service of the Seppun Family, the Seppun Hunters School, or the Stag Clan (subject to GM approval), and you roll +2k0 on all Stealth Skill rolls. Additionally, when you surprise an opponent in a skirmish, your Strength counts as being one higher for purposes of the amount of damage you deal in the first round of that skirmish.

Rank 2: The Hunter Persists
Those who will stalk prey and wait for it must endure much in the outside world. You suffer only half the TN penalties (rounded down) associated with the Fasting condition and the Fatigued condition, as well as from heat and cold (though damage is not reduced as with the Blood of Osano-wo Advantage). Additionally, when you spend Void to enhance a School Skill roll, you may also add your Insight Rank to the result of the roll.

Rank 3: Leaves Fall Swiftly
The hunter knows that decisive actions make the difference between clean kills and missed opportunities. You may make attacks with Samurai-keyword weapons as Simple Actions rather than Complex Actions.

--To come in the future--

Rank 4: Youko’s Method
Developed by Dawei’s successor in the School, Seppun Youko, this Technique expands upon the earlier lessons of the School to make the hunter who follows this path yet more relentless in pursuit. When you spend a Void Point to enhance an Athletics, Hunting, or Stealth roll, you add +2k1 instead of +1k1. This is cumulative with the effects of Dawei’s Method and The Hunter Persists.

Rank 5 (to be developed): The Hunter’s Mercy
The hunter knows that a clean kill is the best kill, being swiftest, as well as kindest to the slain. You may make a single attack as a Complex Action against a target not aware of your presence; the attack ignores either the benefit to ATN the target receives from armor or the target's Reduction (from any source), and it does +2k2 damage.